The Six The Three The Guiguzi

Author: Zhong Lei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: The Six presents theories and principles of governance, military administration, and warfare through dialogues between King Wen and King Wu of Zhou and Lü Wang, serving as a highly valuable military classic that has exerted significant influence on later generations. It has been esteemed by renowned military strategists and commanders throughout history. Sima Qian, in Records of the Grand Historian: The House of Qi, states: "Later generations who speak of military strategy and the hidden arts of Zhou all regard the Grand Master as their source of wisdom." During the Yuanfeng period of Emperor Shenzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, The Six was included as one of the Seven Military Classics, becoming a must-read for military studies. The Six has also had a profound impact abroad, introduced to Japan in the 16th century and to Europe in the 18th century. Today, it has been translated into multiple languages, including Japanese, French, Korean, Vietnamese, English, and Russian.
The Three Stratagems is an ancient Chinese military classic that focuses primarily on political strategy while also addressing military strategy. Since its inception, it has been valued by successive politicians, military strategists, and scholars. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Chao Gongwu praised it as follows: "It eloquently discusses the subtleties of military tactics and the decisiveness of strict discipline, enabling armies to turn death into life and nations to transform destruction into survival." The book was later transmitted to Japan and Korea, where it also had a considerable influence.
The Guiguzi is a political theory text attributed to Guiguzi, later supplemented and revised by figures such as Su Qin and Zhang Yi. It is a comprehensive work that integrates the philosophies of strategists, military strategists, Taoists, immortalists, and Yin-Yang scholars.